Router dropping calls and other latency sensitive data, help!

[sterlingr]

Hoping someone can help;

 

About a year ago got new fiber to the home internet with a Pace 5268ac. I now notice that the wireless performance is very strange. I'm hoping I can get some input as to where the problem lies.

 

It seems as though the connection completely drops for 10-30 seconds every few minutes. With buffered video it usually causes few problems, but when doing things like FaceTime, Skype, or calling via AT&T Wifi it causes the call to fail completely, it's maddening. Additionally, webpages sometimes hang loading completely.

 

I am wondering if buying new AP's (Ubiquiti) will solve this, or if there is something else wrong here than just the crappy wireless system in the all-in-one pace. Interestingly, I haven't run into any of these problems on my wired desktop, although I don't use it as much as my wireless devices. Possibly it's the router/ modem part? Further symptoms are listed below.

 

1. Calls from the bedroom furthest from, the router (Where I usually get 7-9mbps) cut out and drop every 5-10 mins.

2. Calls from the basement (Where I usually get 30-40mbps) drop every 20ish minutes)

3. Places in the house get seemingly random speeds. Example: On my deck I get between 2mbps and 60mbps randomly.

4. When browsing the web, sometimes sites will hang and take over a minute to start loading unless I disconnect and reconnect.

5. I pay for 100mbps, get 120 when right next to the router.

[Lord Nicoll]

6 minutes ago, sterlingr said:

Hoping someone can help;

 

About a year ago got new fiber to the home internet with a Pace 5268ac. I now notice that the wireless performance is very strange. I'm hoping I can get some input as to where the problem lies.

 

It seems as though the connection completely drops for 10-30 seconds every few minutes. With buffered video it usually causes few problems, but when doing things like FaceTime, Skype, or calling via AT&T Wifi it causes the call to fail completely, it's maddening. Additionally, webpages sometimes hang loading completely.

 

I am wondering if buying new AP's (Ubiquiti) will solve this, or if there is something else wrong here than just the crappy wireless system in the all-in-one pace. Possibly it's the router/ modem part? Further symptoms are listed below.

 

1. Calls from the bedroom furthest from, the router (Where I usually get 7-9mbps) cut out and drop every 5-10 mins.

2. Calls from the basement (Where I usually get 30-40mbps) drop every 20ish minutes)

3. Places in the house get seemingly random speeds. Example: On my deck I get between 2mbps and 60mbps randomly.

4. When browsing the web, sometimes sites will hang and take over a minute to start loading unless I disconnect and reconnect.

5. I pay for 100mbps, get 120 when right next to the router.

It's hard to say, it could be a hardware fault on the AP, however it could be software, try resetting the unit first if you haven't, maybe see if there is a firmware update. It would suck to buy a new AP and find out that doesn't fix the issue. 

[sterlingr]

2 minutes ago, Lord Nicoll said:

It's hard to say, it could be a hardware fault on the AP, however it could be software, try resetting the unit first if you haven't, maybe see if there is a firmware update. It would suck to buy a new AP and find out that doesn't fix the issue. 

Will look into doing a factory reset. Interesting note: I haven't yet run into any of the above issues on my wired desktop. Even using discord for hours and no drops.

[Lord Nicoll]

1 minute ago, sterlingr said:

Will look into doing a factory reset. Interesting note: I haven't yet run into any of the above issues on my wired desktop. Even using discord for hours and no drops.

That rules out the Modem and router so, that leaves the wireless AP, so, that makes me a little more confident in that being the most likely culprit. Is it getting too hot? Maybe stick a fan near it and see if that makes it better, although I've seen some AP's baking and still working. If none of the above fixes it, a new AP couldn't hurt.  

[sterlingr]

Just now, Lord Nicoll said:

That rules out the Modem and router so, that leaves the wireless AP, so, that makes me a little more confident in that being the most likely culprit. Is it getting too hot? Maybe stick a fan near it and see if that makes it better, although I've seen some AP's baking and still working. If none of the above fixes it, a new AP couldn't hurt.  

The room is maybe 78F degrees max and the router is actually pretty cool to the touch, at least compared to older routers I've had/ my PC's. Highly doubt it's a heat issue. 

 

Thanks so much for the input 

[Lord Nicoll]

1 minute ago, sterlingr said:

The room is maybe 78F degrees max and the router is actually pretty cool to the touch, at least compared to older routers I've had/ my PC's. Highly doubt it's a heat issue. 

 

Thanks so much for the input 

Well that leaves funky software or a hardware fault from the available pool of causes I could think up. You'd probably get other benefits from a better wireless AP other than it working like it should, like better signal strength and it actually working like it should.